Combine water, potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, salt, pepper and bouillon cube in a large stock pot. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes on medium high heat. Combine milk and flour in a separate container. Turn heat down to low and slowly add milk-flour mixture to soup until thick. Stir in Velveeta cubes and combine until melted. From my Sister in Law, Carol.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the sweet potatoes for 1 hour. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then peel off skin and put potatoes in a large stock pot. Mash them with a potato masher–may leave a few lumps. Add water, butter, tomato sauce, cashews half and half, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook on medium high heat until it begins to simmer. Then reduce heat to medium low and cook for 50 minutes.

In a large stock pot, sauté onion in melted butter on medium heat until tender. Add the broth, potatoes and pumpkin. Cook on medium high until the potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and cool. Purée the whole mixture until smooth.

Cook the mixture in the stock pot on medium low heat and slowly add, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper until all is heated through. Meanwhile, combine parsley with sour cream in a separate bowl.

Spoon soup into bowls; top each with a dollop of the sour cream mixture and sprinkle with bacon. Makes 6 servings. For a group, can serve this soup from a hollowed out and top cut out pumpkin–very festive!

From a fellow Bible study sister, Ellen S. They always make it for the holidays, she said. Hope you enjoy it, friends!

In a large stock pot bring water to a boil. Add potatoes, carrots and onions and boil for 20 minutes over medium high heat. Turn heat down to low and add butter and pet milk. Cook 5 minutes more before serving. May add garnish of green onions, shredded cheddar, bacon or freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

One afternoon (January 10, 1995), when I served on the worship committee at our church in Little Rock, we went to Shirley’s house for a lunch meeting. She served a salad with raisins, sunflower seeds and cranberry vinaigrette, some fresh bread and this soup.

Here are her words to me, when I asked for the recipe, “”Please note that I generally do not write down recipes or use them, but I’m trying. This is the best attempt I can make. I usually cook by flavor or taste. This is a great soup for a party because it satisfies both meat eaters and vegetable lovers. This recipe is given to you with love; enjoy it the same way, and share it with anyone you like. God Bless You! Shirley” Now I find that I miss Shirley so much, but I think of her every time I make this and pray for her. She is a dear heart, can you tell?

With the weather turning colder and Old Man Winter making his appearance, it’s time to start making soups and stews to warm the tummies of those loved ones we care for each day.

I finally was able to try my hand at making homemade beef stew. If I had known how easy and delicious this was, I would have done it long ago! Using the slow cooker makes it even easier, with less clean up and less time in the kitchen.

Homemade Beef Stew

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless beef chuck or stew meat cut in 1″ cubes

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon paprika

4 carrots sliced

3 potatoes diced

1 onion left whole

1 celery stalk, left whole

Directions

Place meat in crock pot. Mix flour, salt and pepper and pour over meat; stir to coat meat with flour. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Cover and cook on LOW (200 degrees) for 10 to 12 hours, or HIGH (300 degrees) for 4 to 6 hours. Remove the onion and celery right before serving. Stir stew thoroughly then serve with your favorite chunk of bread!

Soup is far and above my favorite food. I eat it in the heat of the summer. I eat it in the cold of winter. It is my go-to food for a quick meal or for a special occasion. So when I found this soup in Taste of Home’s Family Collection Cookbook, I made it that very night. And my friends, it was very good!!

In a large saucepan heat butter and oil over medium heat. Toss in bread cubes and stir until crisp and golden brown. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1/4 c. drippings; set bacon aside.

Sauté celery and onion in bacon drippings (1/4 c.) until tender and onions are translucent. Add sugar, cook and stir for one minute. Add flour, cook and stir for one minute. Slowly stir in broth, picante sauce, tomato and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil and stir for two minutes. Just before serving, add lettuce and heat through. Garnish with the croutons and bacon. Yields 8 servings (2 qts.)